Protestant Hunger for the Bible

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I know many non-Catholic Christians who are really into Bible Study. I mean, they can’t get enough of it, two three different studies per week. They then claim that the Catholic church doesn’t read the bible that much and study it, and so on. I know many of my 20s and 30-something friends and family have been challenged by non-Catholics as to their study of the bible. And many Catholics have jumped ship.

But I have a new take on this. Maybe it’s not new but here we go:

Personally, I do not have a hunger for bible study. I enjoy reading the bible. I enjoy listening to scripture at mass. But I am not in a formal bible study, and I never have been. But what causes this hunger for the bible? I mean, they can’t get enough of it.

I figured out the answer. And it says it right in the bible. What is the one thing that Jesus gave to us that he promised if we did it, we would never hunger again? What is the one distinctive thing the Catholic church (for the most part) practices that protestantism does not.

The Eucharist. The true food and true drink Jesus gave us. His body, blood, soul and divinity.

Now, don’t get me wrong, scripture is the third leg of the three-legged stool of Christian authority. Along with Tradition (T) and the Magesterium. I am in no way saying the Bible is not important, nor would the Catholic Church ever teach that. But I do think that the Protestant’s hunger for “scripture after scripture” tells something about them.
 
Sorry I posted it twice somehow. There is another thread that is getting action. Please don’t respond to this thread.
 
Pjs2ejs said:
I know many non-Catholic Christians who are really into Bible Study. I mean, they can’t get enough of it, two three different studies per week. They then claim that the Catholic church doesn’t read the bible that much and study it, and so on. I know many of my 20s and 30-something friends and family have been challenged by non-Catholics as to their study of the bible. And many Catholics have jumped ship.

But I have a new take on this. Maybe it’s not new but here we go:

Personally, I do not have a hunger for bible study. I enjoy reading the bible. I enjoy listening to scripture at mass. But I am not in a formal bible study, and I never have been. But what causes this hunger for the bible? I mean, they can’t get enough of it.

I figured out the answer. And it says it right in the bible. What is the one thing that Jesus gave to us that he promised if we did it, we would never hunger again? What is the one distinctive thing the Catholic church (for the most part) practices that protestantism does not.

The Eucharist. The true food and true drink Jesus gave us. His body, blood, soul and divinity.

Now, don’t get me wrong, scripture is the third leg of the three-legged stool of Christian authority. Along with Tradition (T) and the Magesterium. I am in no way saying the Bible is not important, nor would the Catholic Church ever teach that. But I do think that the Protestant’s hunger for “scripture after scripture” tells something about them.
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I think every Christian who wishes to have a closer relationship with Jesus and wishes to really get to know and experience him should hunger for the Scriptures. They are the true inspired Word of God.
 
If you go to Mass on Sundays, you get a good Bible study. Three readings and a lecture. (Though like a bible study is dependent on its member, mass is very dependent on the priest)
 
I agree with this view. The Bible alone without the sacrament of the altar given by Christ, does not nourish a person fully. It provides some of the spiritual food, but it’s only partial. Thus, Protestants have this hunger which doesn’t go away. It causes some restlessness in them.
 
Completely incorrect. Speaking as an attendee of the Catholic church and yet raised Protestant…the love of scripture is BIBLICAL!

David was a PASSIONATE reader of the bible…he told God MANY MANY times in Psalms I am in LOVE with your word…you love me with your word…your word guides me…you word is light to my soul. There are almost pages of pages of what I would consider love songs to God about the bible from David…why? Why was it important to him? Did he observe the passover and worship and other elements of the church…of course…however David was passionate about his scriptures.

And JESUS! Come on this man spent his entire childhood studying scripture, learning from his leadership…even leaving his parents in a panic to find him in what…the temple studying scripture! His messages would take scripture and apply it to daily life…his messages would take oral traditions and further explain and yet at times correct. Now explain to me why CHRIST the savior would find it valuable to stud what he already know is there? He’d already been with God and created the earth? So WHY of all people would he study scripture?

What else did he do…pray!

I think in this you have to take off the Catholic viewpoint and see that YES sacraments are important and necessary…so are prayer…so are service to God…relationship with God…and scriptures…but let me also challenge you that you are missing something!

I’ve said this of Protestants they are missing something in the sacraments when they refuse to accept any of the teachings of the Catholic church…but in the same way Catholics have to see that the study of scripture is biblical and asking God to reveal his word to is exactly what Jesus did…and if he did it…it has VALUE!

Can you for one minute think that there is something in the way you read scripture that could be preventing you from having a passionate love for it? Kind of in the same way some Protestants are afraid to even say the name of Mary for fear of “worship”…all I’m saying is…ask God…don’t knock something biblical that Jesus practiced and valued until you allow God to show you how Awesome study of scripture can be and how God can encourage and grow your faith in learning more of what he said to Moses, David…and many others.
 
Sorry sounded a little passionate myself there…I have to say that a few years ago I prayed to God…saying…how is it that others can read the bible and not feel like they are gauging their eyes out?

I read the bible my whole life out of obligation…it wasn’t until God showed me the many prayers of David in Psalms talking about how awesome scripture was that it dawned on me…I was missing something.

I guess for me it is a personal subject that God’s revealed to me so much about being encouraged and thinking in terms of his love for me and not what is too Catholic and too Protestant…but what is too Jesus…
 
man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
 
Ok, this is going out on a huge Catholic limb here so all non-C’s please be patient. I agree with the original poster. You need spiritual food to feed you, and it’s like an addiction. Just like an alcoholic needs more alcohol for the same effect…But a healthy one of course.

During my conversion, my 3 hail Mary’s a day were huge. Like that was a big part out of my day for a good 2 to 3 weeks, it was a huge leap of faith. And that was enough to feed me and make me feel closer to God. Let’s see, now i’m up to: A daily holy half hour, a rosary, constantly offering up to God my work at school, Divine Mercy, constant contemplation, and reading scripture… AND I STILL DON’T FEEL LIKE I’M DOING ENOUGH! I cannot receive the Eucharist yet, RCIA’ing my way up to it this easter.

The way I view the Eucharist, from what I’ve read to date, is that it is like a great magnifier of faith. Infinite grace awaits all of us, but sin and our personal dispositions block Jesus from delivering those graces. A good homily and the Eucharist is food enough for any good practicing Catholic. That’s what i love most about the RCC, the true variety it’s absolutely amazing the richness.

For a Protestant, that continual increase in desire for food comes from deeper and deeper study of scripture. It’s that simple, nothing wrong with it in the least. 👍

-revelations
 
The Catholics are at the table.
The Protestants are in the next room reading the menu.
The rest are outside begging for tidbits.
 
Pjs2ejs said:
I know many non-Catholic Christians who are really into Bible Study. I mean, they can’t get enough of it, two three different studies per week. They then claim that the Catholic church doesn’t read the bible that much and study it, and so on. I know many of my 20s and 30-something friends and family have been challenged by non-Catholics as to their study of the bible. And many Catholics have jumped ship.

But I have a new take on this. Maybe it’s not new but here we go:

Personally, I do not have a hunger for bible study. I enjoy reading the bible. I enjoy listening to scripture at mass. But I am not in a formal bible study, and I never have been. But what causes this hunger for the bible? I mean, they can’t get enough of it.

I figured out the answer. And it says it right in the bible. What is the one thing that Jesus gave to us that he promised if we did it, we would never hunger again? What is the one distinctive thing the Catholic church (for the most part) practices that protestantism does not.

The Eucharist. The true food and true drink Jesus gave us. His body, blood, soul and divinity.

Now, don’t get me wrong, scripture is the third leg of the three-legged stool of Christian authority. Along with Tradition (T) and the Magesterium. I am in no way saying the Bible is not important, nor would the Catholic Church ever teach that. But I do think that the Protestant’s hunger for “scripture after scripture” tells something about them.
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**What does that last sentence mean 😦 ? **​

 
This whole thread reeks of ignorance and arrogance. Why would a Protestant actively study the Bible?- because it is the one immutable tenant of Christianity.
 
kenmd said:
This whole thread reeks of ignorance and arrogance. Why would a Protestant actively study the Bible?- because it is the one immutable tenant of Christianity.
Click to expand...
Where does it say that in the Bible?
 
Pjs2ejs said:
Personally, I do not have a hunger for bible study. I enjoy reading the bible. I enjoy listening to scripture at mass. But I am not in a formal bible study, and I never have been. But what causes this hunger for the bible? I mean, they can’t get enough of it.
Click to expand...
you have your finger right on it. when I was a protestannt I kept buying bibles. every time I’d go to a bookstore I’d move right to the bibles shelf, and oftentimes buy another one.

not that I was reading all that much of it, but I had this deep hunger for God that was not being fulfilled in the protestant worshop I was attending. since the bible was/is their only access point, I had this feeling, or thought, that if I could only find the right translation, the right study notes, the right binding, why then I would arrive.

Ah, now things are so much better. my bible budget has shrunk quite a lot. I’m down to maybe three translations that I use frequently, but mostly I am happy with the NAB. The bible is where it is supposed to be, and I find Jesus in the Eucharist. Ah.
 
IMHO – I feel that as a Catholic I am fortunate to participate in the fullness of truth through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. I have been able to participate or have received 6 of the 7 Sacraments, have read and received the word of God at least every Sunday, and but most importantly continuing my relationship with Christ by receiving him body, blood, soul, and divinity every time I receive Communion. As a former Protestant, much of this was not available to me; however, we must remember that the CC recognizes “Truth” wherever it is found. For a Protestant that “Truth” is found in Sacred Scripture. Because of the “Truth” found in Sacred Scriptures, Protestants have the necessary truths for salvation. Because of the “Truth”, being the word of God, and not having all of the Sacred Traditional things that the CC has, I can see and fully understand their un-quenching desire for Bible study.
 
I am a Catholic who hungers for the word of God. I am in a Catholic Bible study and the revelation is amazing. I hunger for the Eucharist and I hunger for the Word of God. Everyone is in a different place and we are all called to different things.
 
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